Harald, I'd love to have a DIY set, as I wrote earlier, but I'm also very interested in the LiPo-capable version. Do you still have boards of that type, and can you offer the parts for that (including the diode to replace one of the inductors on the mainboard) as well?

Reason: Since receiving my HP30b last week, the second pair of CR2032s is starting to flash the battery symbol. I'm not doing numerical integration of matrix determinants around the clock, just trying to get to know the calculator a bit. I'm quite worried about battery life. Or is my unit bad? I can remember hacking a HP20S quite a lot for months without worrying about the battery, and even the HP48 didn't eat batteries quite as fast as this (until I started computing Mandelbrot fractals, that is).

(04-10-2017 06:14 PM)c785 Wrote: Harald, I'd love to have a DIY set, as I wrote earlier, but I'm also very interested in the LiPo-capable version. Do you still have boards of that type, and can you offer the parts for that (including the diode to replace one of the inductors on the mainboard) as well?

Reason: Since receiving my HP30b last week, the second pair of CR2032s is starting to flash the battery symbol. I'm not doing numerical integration of matrix determinants around the clock, just trying to get to know the calculator a bit. I'm quite worried about battery life. Or is my unit bad? I can remember hacking a HP20S quite a lot for months without worrying about the battery, and even the HP48 didn't eat batteries quite as fast as this (until I started computing Mandelbrot fractals, that is).

The 30b draws quite a bit of current when it is running. If you are just number crunching it is mostly idle, but when you are running programs the processor runs constantly. So I don't think there is anything wrong with your machine.

I have none of the Li-Ion boards left and kits aren't possible either. I am not very proud of the design as it needed selected LEDs as zener diodes.
If you go for one of the USB IR boards you can power the calculator from the USB port (a USB charger will work as well) and save battery that way.

Do we need to put in orders now? It sure seems like everyone is claiming kits. I just want a board and all of the shiny bits to solder on​ it. IR led too. I can locate the capacitors if need be, but I'd love to have those and a clock crystal as well. Has any updated pricing been determined?

No changes yet - prices are to be determined but should be quite low (see my prior note). I'll order enough boards plus some reserves and further orders can always be made as needed. But none of that will happen until sometime in May. I will get the word out when that is imminent.

(04-11-2017 12:51 AM)revwillie Wrote: Do we need to put in orders now? It sure seems like everyone is claiming kits. I just want a board and all of the shiny bits to solder on​ it. IR led too. I can locate the capacitors if need be, but I'd love to have those and a clock crystal as well. Has any updated pricing been determined?

Have a look at this thread:
If you want a kit you should order now, if you want a board from Jim, you can order later.

That's 18 boards worth. I'll order some spares but if anyone not on this list (or who are on the list but wants more) wants any, please let me know. I expect to order them the first week of July so there's time to let me know.

Many of the parts to solder on the board are so tiny that they are very easily misplaced. To send a kit, I should either include two or more of every such part or expect frustrated folks to request replacement parts which are difficult to deal with when they are grain-of-salt sized. So for now, I'm planning on just soldering all the boards myself and sending them assembled. If anyone would like me to do otherwise, please let me know.

As shown, several would like the board installed. Please let me know if that would be the case as well. I assume applying the key labels will be done by the owners but again, let me know if you would like me to do that so I can order them (I need to for my '30b).

Do feel free to post any questions or concerns either here, via Private Message (above) or by email or phone (PM for details). Best to all!

That's 18 boards worth. I'll order some spares but if anyone not on this list (or who are on the list but wants more) wants any, please let me know. I expect to order them the first week of July so there's time to let me know.

Many of the parts to solder on the board are so tiny that they are very easily misplaced. To send a kit, I should either include two or more of every such part or expect frustrated folks to request replacement parts which are difficult to deal with when they are grain-of-salt sized. So for now, I'm planning on just soldering all the boards myself and sending them assembled. If anyone would like me to do otherwise, please let me know.

As shown, several would like the board installed. Please let me know if that would be the case as well. I assume applying the key labels will be done by the owners but again, let me know if you would like me to do that so I can order them (I need to for my '30b).

Do feel free to post any questions or concerns either here, via Private Message (above) or by email or phone (PM for details). Best to all!

Thanks to those who have responded. It looks like I'll be getting 30 boards and sets of parts. Only one kit was requested so I'll include spares of its (tiny) parts in case one gets dropped. A number of you would like the boards assembled and installed. I'll check prices and availability of HP 20b and HP 30b calculators as spares as well in the off chance a user's machine is damaged during installation so I can replace it.

Pricing information for all this should be available shortly as I get the latest numbers.

Best to all from the scenic Columbia River Gorge (an hour's drive from totality)...

That's 18 boards worth. I'll order some spares but if anyone not on this list (or who are on the list but wants more) wants any, please let me know. I expect to order them the first week of July so there's time to let me know.

Many of the parts to solder on the board are so tiny that they are very easily misplaced. To send a kit, I should either include two or more of every such part or expect frustrated folks to request replacement parts which are difficult to deal with when they are grain-of-salt sized. So for now, I'm planning on just soldering all the boards myself and sending them assembled. If anyone would like me to do otherwise, please let me know.

As shown, several would like the board installed. Please let me know if that would be the case as well. I assume applying the key labels will be done by the owners but again, let me know if you would like me to do that so I can order them (I need to for my '30b).

Do feel free to post any questions or concerns either here, via Private Message (above) or by email or phone (PM for details). Best to all!

With the emails and messages I've received, I'm ordering at least 30 boards. That will provide enough for all who have inquired plus spares to deal with possible assembly errors on my part plus orders from those who ask afterwards.

(09-22-2017 03:45 PM)Jim Horn Wrote: With the emails and messages I've received, I'm ordering at least 30 boards. That will provide enough for all who have inquired plus spares to deal with possible assembly errors on my part plus orders from those who ask afterwards.

My apologies for the delays!

Hi Jim,

Only now I find this great thread! I have a 30b in the box waiting for flash, but the lack of cable let me forgot about it!

If it's possible, I would like 2 assembled boards + IR +crystal for both.

As I live in Brazil, PayPal is the only way I can pay, I hope there's no problem.

I thank you everyone involved in this project, specially Harald for designing the board and eletronics specifications and Jim Horn for taking the time to assemble the boards!

I'm working on ordering the boards. The files from Harald are for the Eagle PCB software. It is needed to create the needed Gerber format files. So I've downloaded and am learning same. Should be quick. I've not used Eagle before but have used many others.

Once the boards and parts arrive, I'll populate them and update my HP 30b. That's when I'll post their availability and price.

There will be plenty - I'll be ordering over 30 boards so they should be available for all interested plus spares for future orders. If we run out, it will be easy to do more as the hard work will already be done.